Thomas Merton wrote that we don’t need hermitages or cabins on mountaintops to meditate or make some room in our heads to decide how it is we really want to live. We are here a short time, and it is something of a crime for me to not at least try to live a life of meaning and purpose and creativity while we can. That is a gift given to us that is given to no other living thing – the gift to make conscious decisions about how to life.

In our culture, we are told we must work all of our lives to be secure, to stash away money for the long ride home, if we get sick, or have an accident. For me, life is a considered decision, at age 50 I made time and space inside my head to consider how I wanted to live the rest of my life. More than a decade later, I am beginning to live my life in the way I decided I wanted to.

Quiet spaces are essential for self-determination. If you can’t find room to consider your life, how can you possible change it? We have a new quiet space on the farm, we put our two rocking chairs out by the big old apple tree and across from the birdbath.

There is no longer any shade in the corner, our big old pine tree fell down last year. This space is sweeter, we meditate there, have dinner there, sit and talk there. It is so important to have some space in my head, away from the din and anger of the outside world.